Pressure Washers Tested

We get to grips with 12 top pressure washers. Which is best for blowing away winter grime?

Auto Express Car Reviews

November 2010

Winter is when pressure washers earn their keep. Wet, muddy roads make your car filthy in no time, but these devices blast away most of the grime, leaving the minimum to be wiped off with a mitt or sponge. Spray on a wheel cleaner, and they shift brake disc dust, too. Then, the washer can be adjusted to rinse bodywork.

Now is a great time to buy, as there’s been a glut of new arrivals since our last test a year ago (Issue 1,090). Which is best? We tackled several filthy cars with 12 top buys – including two portable units for those  who can’t get mains power or water to their motor.

The Test

Pressure washers are all about making car cleaning easy – so we wanted good storage for the cable, hose and extra kit like lances and brushes. We also looked for a way of getting shampoo on the car; preferably a built-in tank. The hose should be long enough to tackle a family hatch without having to move the washer. We rated each unit’s cleaning power on dirty bodywork and rims. Price, excluding delivery, was the final factor.

Verdict

Garden kit specialist Hozelock’s powerful, easy-to-use Heavy Duty 150 takes top spot. Former winner Lavor’s new Temporale is our runner-up, while reigning champ Bosch’s clever Clic 125 has to make do with third.

Top 3

Hozelock Heavy Duty Pressure Washer 150
Lavor Temporale
Bosch Aquatak Clic 125

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1 Comment

Pity you couldn't manage to obtain a Makita HW130 for this shoot-out - aside from the accessories of which the underbody lance would be the most useful on a car (and perhaps the foam lance - to a degree), its specs are some of the best for its price, which is almost on a par with the Hozelock's.
Even better is the HW131, but then you're into Halford's HP2800 SRP territory there.
So the HW130 is a good compromise if you don't want to invest that sort of money.

By pjskelti on 23 November, 2010, 4:32pm

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